It's hard to believe that this is the 50th anniversary of that first Earth Day. As we all know and many of us say, really every day should be a day to love, respect, and care for this planet we all call home. Right now as we practice social distancing, isolation, and quarantine due to the coronavirus, the Earth seems to be healing a bit, with less traffic, less pollution, less heaviness of the human footprint, but at the same time we all are clamoring for more outside time. Hopefully, this appreciation we have for Nature and the outdoors now will carry over into the future as we address issues such as climate change and all the other things that interact with that such as poverty, social justice, the rights of indigenous peoples, food and water supplies, our interaction with wildlife, etc. It's all connected. As John Muir said, "When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe." For more ideas on how you can help our planet and all its inhabitants, sharing with others all the ways to keep Earth Day alive throughout the year, check out the Earth Day website here. (photo from Charter of Compassion Facebook page)
Celebrating the birthday of John Muir, born April 21, 1838, in Scotland (moved to the U.S. at age 11), conservationist, naturalist, writer, and a favorite of pantheists everywhere. Learn much more about his life from the Sierra Club by clicking here. "How glorious a greeting the sun gives the mountains!" (John Muir)
Novelist/environmentalist Wallace Stegner said, "National parks are the best idea we ever had. Absolutely American, absolutely democratic, they reflect us at our best rather than our worst." One thing most of us can agree on, we love our national parks and national forests...we humans sometimes just need to get away into the wilderness and back to Nature, away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. These parks are accessible to so many people and give us a chance to reconnect with the natural world, to relax, to heal, to recharge, be it through hiking, camping, or just enjoying the beautiful views, trees, and flowers...not to mention an opportunity to get a glimpse of some of the wildlife that make the parks their home. April 18-26 is National Park Week here in the US. Right now, trails and roads have limited accessibility due to the coronavirus, but there are still ways to enjoy and celebrate our parks. For some ideas from the National Park Service, click here. (Great Smoky Mountains National Park)
Happy Birthday, William Wordsworth! Born on this day in 1770 (died April 23, 1850), England's poet laureate near the end of his life, he helped usher in the Romantic period of poetry with his friend Samuel Coleridge. Perhaps a pantheist, perhaps not, but clearly he loved Nature and the joys, sweet memories, and healing it brings. I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud (also known simply as Daffodils) I wandered lonely as a cloud That floats on high o'er vales and hills, When all at once I saw a crowd, A host of golden daffodils; Beside the lake, beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze. Continuous as the stars that shine and twinkle on the Milky Way, They stretched in never-ending line along the margin of a bay: Ten thousand saw I at a glance, tossing their heads in sprightly dance. The waves beside them danced; but they Out-did the sparkling waves in glee: A poet could not be but gay, in such a jocund company: I gazed—and gazed—but little thought what wealth the show to me had brought: For oft, when on my couch I lie In vacant or in pensive mood, They flash upon that inward eye Which is the bliss of solitude; And then my heart with pleasure fills, And dances with the daffodils. Yesterday was the vernal equinox here in the Northern Hemisphere. Spring is usually a time for happiness and celebrations and lots of pretty pictures of flowers. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, there's definitely a more somber attitude these days. Even though life has changed and how we do things has changed, Nature still moves through its seasons. There are rabbits and birds and blooming trees and flowers to still enjoy from our homes and yards, and we all know spending time in Nature helps with depression and anxiety even for a little while. Please stay safe and follow the current guidelines as you and your loved ones navigate these challenging times.
In celebration of spring, we are sharing a poem by Mary Oliver that was posted on the Mary Oliver Facebook Page and has been shared in the Universal Pantheists Facebook group. Mary Oliver Yesterday at 9:19 AM · Happy first day of Spring!
We have two occasions to celebrate today.
First, Happy Pi Day! Yes, it's 3/14. I guess a lot of people celebrate by eating actual pie, but in reality, Pi is everywhere! Learn more about the "cosmic piece of Pi" from this NASA site by clicking here.
Image by Welcome to all and thank you for your visit ! ツ from Pixabay
Throughout the course of his life, physicist Albert Einstein, the publisher of the theory of relativity, affirmed his belief in pantheism, a theological doctrine based on the work of 17th-century philosopher Baruch Spinoza.
When asked by the prominent American Rabbi Herbert S. Goldstein if Einstein believed in God in a telegram dated April 25, 1929, he responded that he followed a different doctrine. “I believe in Spinoza’s God, who reveals Himself in the lawful harmony of the world, not in a God who concerns himself with the fate and the doings of mankind,” Einstein replied. Generally speaking, pantheism identifies God with the universe or regards the universe as a manifestation of God. Pantheist Vision shares: "A German scientist born in 1834 who coined the word ecology, popularized evolution, and propagated Pantheism in books like The Riddle of the Universe." He also was an artist, merging science and art and creating numerous works of art showing the beauty of Nature. Here is one of Haeckel's illustrations of hummingbirds. (Public domain photo)
(photo from the Darwin Day Facebook page) From Pantheist Vision we read: "This famous theorist of evolution was born in 1809. "Darwin Day," also celebrated as "Evolution Sunday" on the nearest Sunday to the 12th, gives us the opportunity to honor the processes of natural selection which makes all life on Earth." (photo from Britannica.com)
In Pantheist Vision we read that born on this day in 1927, Edward Abbey was a writer and ardent advocate for wildness. His book Desert Solitaire celebrated adventures in the red rock country of the American Southwest, where he describes himself as "not an atheist but an earthiest."
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